[2] The TacSat satellites are all designed to demonstrate the ability to provide real-time data collected from space to combatant commanders in the field.

The 8 May 2009 attempt was also scrubbed due to thunderstorms and heavy rain, which once again, prevented the surveillance plane from being able to take off.

[11] Several minutes later, this launch attempt was also scrubbed due to low electrical voltage on the AGC of the Flight Termination System.

The spacecraft was successfully launched at 23:55 UTC on 19 May 2009 after a small delay to remove off shore boaters from the exclusion area.

[12] After a successful completion of a one-year experimental phase, and the acquisition of more than 2100 images, TacSat-3 was handed over to the Air Force in June 2010 as a full-time operational asset.

[13][14][15] TacSat-3/ARTEMIS observations of the National Mall and the Kilauea Volcano to support technical validation of the sensor have been released in June 2010.